Revamped Dog Food Pyramid

A common misconception exists that dogs are carnivores and really just need to eat meats for a healthy diet most consistent with wild dogs or the original wolf. In fact, research is pretty clear now that the domestic dog should be considered an omnivore. In controlled studies, when allowed to free choose their meals, dogs were found to consistently choose less protein heavy meals when compared to their domestic rival, the cat. This tells us that perhaps dogs do not need to be eating as rich protein diets as many previously believed. While meat-based protein should make up the bulk of their diets, dogs should also be eating a diet containing healthy fats and grains. A 2012 study found that, specifically, an ideal nutritional breakdown for a domestic dog’s protein:fat:carbohydrate composition should look something like 30%:63%:7%.

On the subject of carbohydrates, specifically grains, there is overwhelmingly convincing research currently that suggest grain-free diets can increase the risk of heart disease in dogs. This means you should be feeding your dog a diet with grains. If you have been told your dog is allergic to grains, try to figure out which grain specifically. There are numerous sources, including but not limited to: barely, wheat, rice, oats. If your dog truly cannot eat any of these ingredients, consider adding a heart supplement to his or her diet, specifically one that contains taurine - an important amino acid for heart health.

Everyone nowadays talks a lot about healthy fats. In people, avocados and nuts are often cited as good sources of “healthy fats”. The term “healthy” is usually referring to unsaturated fats. In dogs, the same is true in that we want unsaturated fats. Good examples of this include hemp oil, flaxseed oil, or fish oils. Fish oils are increasingly more common and cited as good sources of omega-3s, specifically EPA and DHA - examples of healthy fatty acids that can be beneficial for skin, coat, joint, and brain health among other benefits.

So while the human food pyramid has undergone plenty of makeovers in the last several decades, it may be time the dog food pyramid get revamped as well. Just like we now consider the “pyramid” to be more of a plate, think of your dog’s food pyramid as more of a triangle, with a wide healthy fat base, a solid protein middle, with a small but complete carbohydrate tip. At Spot & Tango, we’ve done the research and consulted the experts for you, so you can trust that your dog’s plate, and pyramid is well-balanced and complete.

Citations:

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3518205/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3518205/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41295744/